NFL Rumors: Diontae Johnson trade, Buccaneers next step, Caleb Williams meeting
- Caleb Williams to meet with Bears after USC Pro Day
- Bucs' next step is what we all expected — to negotiate with Baker Mayfield
- Diontae Johnson might want out of Pittsburgh
NFL rumors: Buccaneers' next step is to re-sign Baker Mayfield
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers threw cold water on the frenzied free agency speculation surrounding Pro Bowl WR Mike Evans. The veteran re-signed on a two-year, $52 million contract with $35 million guaranteed. After talks stalled last offseason, the two sides came together to keep Evans in Tampa. He has a chance to finish his career where it started.
A lot of teams were gearing up to pursue the former Super Bowl champ. Evans has never posted below 1,000 receiving yards in a season and he has been in the league for a decade. For Tampa, this is a major step toward defending last season's NFC South title. The next step, per The Athletic's Diana Russini, is exactly what you would expect.
What's next for Tampa? Trying to sign Baker Mayfield. The Bucs have started negotiations to keep him and making every effort to get it done. Sources have shared the QB will not take a hometown discount to stay. Meanwhile teams like Atlanta and Minnesota are watching...
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) March 4, 2024
The Bucs want to re-sign Baker Mayfield next and are working hard toward their goal. That said, Mayfield "will not take a hometown discount," so Tampa Bay will need to pay top dollar for arguably the offseason's most coveted QB. Mayfield is fresh off his first Pro Bowl appearance. He finished last season with 4,044 passing yards, 28 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions, completing 64.3 percent of his passes. Spotrac's market value tool projects Mayfield's next contract at roughly $108.5 million over four years, with an annual value of $27.1 million.
If the Bucs can't reach terms with Mayfield, the Atlanta Falcons and Minnesota Vikings are "watching." He will have other interested suitors. Tampa Bay does not have an in-house replacement, so the Bucs would need to pivot quickly to find an alternative if Mayfield bolts. That could mean a less expensive veteran free agent (Mason Rudolph, Joe Flacco, Ryan Tannehill) or a rookie.
The Bucs can assert themselves as favorites to repeat as division champs if Mayfield re-signs — especially if the Falcons can't land a quality QB. The ball is in Mayfield's court, ultimately. He controls his destiny.